Ziwe Canceled by Showtime After Two Seasons, Devastating Fans
The viral comedy series Ziwe has been canceled by Showtime after only two seasons. The news comes as a shock to fans online, who have come to love the program.
Ziwe has become a staple online as a satirical late-night talk show. Ziwe Fumudoh, the series host and executive producer, has become an internet sensation for her brand of comedy. Ziwe has also produced viral moments with celebrities, such as Emily Ratajkowski, Drew Barrymore, and Phoebe Bridgers.
The news comes six months after Chris McCarthy added Showtime to the swath of networks he oversees, the list of which includes Paramount, MTV, Comedy Central, and more. McCarthy has opened up about a new vision for the network, including leaning into franchises.
During his time at Showtime, he has cast off a number of series, including Ripley, Three Women, and King Shaka. McCarthy has also canceled nearly every series whose fates were up in the air as their seasons closed. These included The L Word: Generation Q, Let the Right One In, American Gigolo, and now Ziwe.
Of the controversy, McCarthy explained to The Hollywood Reporter, “People not thinking it’s going to work is the motivation. Like, great, perfect.” Despite his confidence, many people online see his changes as the end of an era or even the death of Showtime.
Because Chris McCarthy is the worst guy at Paramount. Look at how MTV, VH1, TV Land, CMT, and Comedy Central have become irrelevant in his wake.
— Jeff Harris (@nemalki) October 7, 2022
And now, Showtime is about to be under his eye.
(Nick, CBS, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+, and BET aren’t, thank Bob)
Ziwe Fumudoh has proved herself to be a comedic force, creating moments that have become viral online, such as her episode with Julia Fox. A clip of Fox talking about Anna Delvey, Gen Z’s favorite con artist, became a popular TikTok audio.
if you want to see a comedian who tackles edgy uncomfortable topics in an actually new and interesting and funny way, i recommend everything Ziwe does
— Bec Shaw (@Brocklesnitch) May 25, 2022
Fans of Ziwe have not taken the news well, sharing their disappointment online. Some, however, remain hopeful that the show may take on another life on a different network.
Finding out Ziwe is canceled really hurts me because I loved her talk show because she was my motivation and inspiration to push my drive to become a black talk show host one day 😞
— Zel ❄️ (@MelaninGarcon) April 5, 2023
This is insanity. The show was brilliant, the marketing started and ended with a major shoot and then clips on social. I hope she can find another platform to do this (if she wants to)
— Julia Chesky (@juliachesky) April 5, 2023
Although Ziwe has been canceled, its two seasons are available to stream on Paramount+ and Showtime Anytime.
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